Bootie



T. E. BUSH Aug. 12, 1958 BOOTIE Filed March '7, 1955 INVENTOR. THERESA E. BUSH M A 1 !/W A TTOR/VE) United States Patent BOOTIE Theresa E. Bush, Denver, Colo.

Application March 7, 1955, Serial No. 492,574

1 Claim. (Cl. 36-9) This invention relates to booties or slippers, namely wearing apparel for use on the feet of a person, particularly a child.

One of the principal disadvantages of booties heretofore produced lies in the fact that they are too readily dislodged from the foot of the child, as by being kicked off or removed through movement of the wearer. While each bootie may be attached as by a safety pin to a stocking, this requires long stockings which are also fastened at their upper ends, as well as being inconvenient. Drawstring or cords are conventionally utilized for attaching booties and the like to a childs foot, but if drawn sufiiciently tight to reduce the possibility of the bootie being dislodged or kicked off, considerable discomfort results. Due to movement of the foot, and particularly the tightening and relaxation of the heel tendon during such movement, a bootie attached by a drawstring tends to slip down at the rear and over the heel, thus tending to slip off or to become dislodged if rubbed rearwardly against an object. Also, when the sole of the bootie is pulled rearwardly along a surface, the bootie tends to be pulled off the foot.

Among the objects of the present invention are to provide a novel bootie for a child, particularly a small child; to provide such a bootie which tends to stay in place on the foot of the child; to provide such a bootie which provides a minimum of discomfort to the child; to provide such a bootie which does not require attachment to other articles of apparel, such as stockings; to provide such a bootie which can be readily placed on and attached to the foot as well as detached and removed; and to provide such a bootie which may be manufactured readily and at a comparatively low cost.

Additional objects and the novel features of this invention will become apparent from the description which follows, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a bootie constructed in accordancewith this invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof, with the upper portion shown in section, taken obliquely along line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary vertical section, taken along line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the rear portion of the upper of the bootie of Fig. 1, shown in stretched condition; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section corresponding to a portion of Fig. 2.

A bootie constructed in accordance with this invention,

as in Fig. 1, may comprise a sole to which is attached an upper, conveniently having a front portion 11 and a rear portion 12. Preferably the upper encloses not only the foot of the wearer, but also the ankle and, if desired, a portion of the leg above the ankle. Both the sole and the upper may be formed of a double layer of material, such as an outer layer 13 and an inner layer 14 of Fig. ,3, the outer layer 13 conveniently being made of any "ice;

suitable material, such as a corduroy fabric, while the inner layer 14 preferably is a soft material, such as flannel. The two layers forming the sole 10 may be cut to shape and stitched together around the edges, while the front portion 11 and the rear portion 12 of the upper may be cut to shape and the layers of each stitched together at one end, then reversed so as to form a covered seam at the top. Rear portion 12 and front portion 11 of the upper are attached together at a side seam 15 at each side and at each of which seams the edges of the rear portion 12 may extend between the layers of the front portion 11 with the rear edge of each layer of the front portion 11 turned under so as to form a smooth seam, both on the inside and the outside. After the front portion 11 and rear portion 12 of the upper have been attached together, the lower edges of the upper may be stitched to the sole 10 with the bootie inside out, so that the seam around the edge of the sole will be on the inside when the bootie is reversed after completion.

In accordance with the present invention, the upper extends to a point above the ankle and each side seam 15 extends from a point adjacent the front of the heel of the wearer and then rearwardly and upwardly to the top of the upper. In addition, the rear portion 12 of the upper has a normal width, as in Fig. 4, which is considerably in excess of the distance around the ankle between the side seams 15, whereby the front portion 11 and rear portion 12 provide a relatively large opening at the top. The rear portion 12 of the upper may also be provided with two rows of stitching 16 which extend in parallel relation and horizontally across the rear portion 12 at a point above the maximum rearward extension of the heel of the wearer. In the space thus formed between the rows of stitching 16, an elastic strip or band 17 is placed with each end of the elastic band 17 being attached to the inner layer 14 adjacent the opposite edges thereof. The elastic band 17 has a normal length considerably less than the distance between the side seams 15, around the ankle and just above the heel of the wearer, so that when the rear portion 12 is released from the stretched condition of Fig. 4, a series of folds 0r gathers 18 will be produced in the rear portion 12, as in Fig. 2, while the side seams 15 will thereby extend at a substantial angle to a perpendicular to the sole, at least to a point above the band 17. in addition, a tie or cord 20 is attached, as by stitching, to each end of the elastic band 17 and also to the rear portion 12 of the upper. To facilitate attachment of the elastic band 17 and the ties 20, the outer layer 13 of the rear portion 12 of the upper may be provided with an angular cut-out 21 at each side, as in Figs. 4 and 5, which will be covered by the inturned edges of the front portion 11 of the upper when the front and rear portions of the upper are attached together along the side seams 15. As in Fig. 5, the outer layer 13 and inner layer 14 of the rear portion of the upper, with the elastic band 1'7 therebetween at a position above the maximum rearward extension of the heel of the wearer, and the cord 21) on the outside thereof, may be attached together along the front edges thereof, as by stitching 22. Then the front portion 11 of the upper may be reversed and the outer layer 23 and the inner layer 24 thereof attached along their edges to the edge of the rear portion of the upper,

as by stitching 25, after which the front portion of. the upper may again be reversed, to provide inturned edges at the side seam 15, as indicated previously.

When a bootie constructed in accordance with this invention is placed on the foot of a wearer, such as a small child, the ties or cords 215 are crossed in front of the ankle and there tied, as by a bow knot, as in Fig. l. The cords or ties 211 may be tied quite tight without undue discomfort to the child, since the elastic band 17 will stretch as the cords'20 are tightened. In addition, during movement of the foot and particularly when the heel tendon is tightened and relaxed during movement of the foot, the elastic band 17 will expand and contract, thereby preventing the hectic from slipping rearwardly over the heel. In addition, when the sole of the bootie is pushed rearwardly against a surface, the elastic band tends to grip the heel of the wearer, thus maintaining the hectic in position.

From the foregoing, it will be evident that a hectic constructed in accordance with this invention fulfills to a marked degree the requirements and objects herein'oefore set forth. The bcotie not only tends to stay in place, but the drawstrings or cords may be tightened sufficiently to insure that it will stay in place, Without undue discomfort to the wearer. Also, the bootie does not require attachment to any other article of apparel and may readily placed on the foot and attached thereto, since the comparatively large size of the upper permits the foot to slide easily into the hectic and the drawstrings are readily tightened. In addition, for removal it is necessary only to undo the drawstrings, whereupon the bootie will easily slip off. The bootie can be made in various sizes and suitable patterns provided for the parts for each of the sizes, while the stitching and assembly operations are relatively simple and therefore can be performed quite economically it will be understood, of course, that various changes may be made in the construction of the bootie, such as the manner in which the elastic band is enclosed, as by a separate strip attached to the inside of the rear portion of the upper. Also, the upper or sole or both may be made from one layer of a suitable material, or more than two layers. it will be understood, of course, that when made in larger sizes for adults, it may be used as a slipper, in Which event the sole may be made of a stiller material, such as leather, if desired. it will also be understood that, although a specific embodiment of this invention has been illustrated and described, other embodiments may exist and various changes made therein, all Without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

A bootie comprising a sole; an upper formed of fabric and connected to said sole and constructed and arranged to enclose the foot of a wearer and also a portion of the leg of a wearer including the ankle, said upper including a front portion and a rear portion attached together along a seam at each side of said bootie, each said seam extending from said sole at a point adjacent the front of the heel of a wearer upwardly and rearwardly to the top of said bootie, said rear portion from the ankle region of said wearer to the top thereof having a Width normally considerably greater than the circumferential distance around said region between said seams whereby said front and rear portions provide a relatively large opening at the top; an elastic band extending circumferentially around said rear portion and attached to said upper at the position of each said seam at an elevation above the maximum rearward extension of the heel of a wearer, said band having a normal unstretched length less than the normal width of said rear portion of said upper, and each said seam extending from said sole upwardly at a substantial angle to a perpendicular to said sole at least past said band; means forming a passage for said elastic band in said rear portion; and a separate tie attached to each end of said band and to said upper adjacent said seam.

References Cited in the file of this patent v UNITED STATES PATENTS 129,178 

